The invention relates to a device for use in positioning the fingers to reach keys corresponding to selected harmonious intervals on a keyboard instrument such as a piano, organ, synthesizer or the like. In particular, the device enables the untrained player to depress with one hand keys of the instrument successively or simultaneously which are a fixed tonal interval apart on the keyboard while concentrating only on the proper placement of the 4th Finger for example, in accordance with a given melody line.
In the training of keyboard instrument players, it is particularly difficult in the beginning stages of development to provide the student with adequate early capability for producing pleasing melodic sounds. Accordingly, many beginning students quickly lose confidence in their ability to utilize the instrument. This results in many pupils losing interest early in their training and prematurely dropping their musical studies.
It has been discovered that for many people, regardless of their musical background or ability, the interval of the sixth produces a sound particularly pleasing to the ear. Thus, it is advantageous for beginning students of keyboard instruments to be able to play such an interval with one or both hands, while following a simple one note melody line. An ability to produce such harmonious sounds early in the training generates enthusiasm for the instrument and confidence in one's ability to produce real music with it.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a playing aid for use with keyboard instruments, such as the piano, by which the fingers of the playing hand are rigidly postured to a predetermined position in which, for example, the thumb and little (or fourth) finger are held apart by a distance corresponding to a selected keyboard interval, such as a fifth or a sixth. Of course, other intervals may be selected, as desired. The fingers of each hand are therefore retained in the correct position for playing selected harmonies while the player simply concentrates on locating one note at a time with one finger or the thumb. Thus, at the outset of the training, the teacher need only provide relatively simple one-note melody lines for each hand, in accordance with a program of instruction, while the pupil, with the aid of the present device, is able to produce a pleasing harmonious response on the instrument. At the very early stages of instruction, the various notes and melody lines may be color coded so that the pupil is able to play single pieces with meaningful harmony embellishment even before learning to read music.
The playing aid preferably consists of a rigid one-piece molded element having a pair of spaced apart grips or arches to be placed over the thumb and little finger. The grips are interconnected by a raised central portion having an elongated surface for supporting the remaining three fingers of the hand in a position elevated with respect to the thumb and little finger. The finger supporting surface of the raised portion is preferably provided with three transverse concave channels, each of which fits beneath and is supportive of one of the three middle fingers of the hand. The grip to grip spacing of the element fixes the distance between the thumb and little finger to a predetermined musical interval on the keyboard. The middle fingers are held away from the keyboard by the central supporting section. Each hand may be provided with a playing aid of this type, preferably adapted for different but harmoniously related tonal intervals.
Of course, more advanced players may learn to play triads or more advanced chords by tilting the hand to enable the otherwise elevated middle fingers to depress additional keys or notes, as desired. Similar playing aids may be provided, one for each of a plurality of different desired intervals and they may be constructed so as to fit standard size hands for adults and children of various ages.